Her Hero's Promise
by mimi11052003
Summary: Peyton sawyer needs a promise. And maybe a hero. Oneshot Leyton


_What if the real thing you were afraid of loosing is…Yourself._

Peyton Sawyer stood before her mirror that was propped up against her door. Blonde hair framed her sorrowful face. She wore black in memory of Keith Scott, today was his funeral. Suddenly she felt a presence in her room. She looked to her right and there stood her friend Brooke Davis, she too in black. Brooke stood there watching her best friend before opening her mouth to speak.

"You okay?" Brooke asked walking over towards Peyton. Brooke laid a hand on Peyton's shoulder. Peyton flinched underneath her touch.

"Yeah, I'm fine" Peyton lied. Brooke nodded.

"Just making sure, P. Sawyer" Brooke gave a faint smile that Peyton returned. Brooke turned and walked out of the bedroom. As soon as Brooke was gone, so was Peyton's smile. Peyton couldn't help but feel horrible. One of her closest friend's uncle had died, and she felt like it was all her fault. If Peyton had not been shot, Lucas Scott would've never gone in the school. And Keith would've never followed him. In her mind something told her it WAS all her fault.

And she believed that.

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Lucas Scott stood before an open grave, looking down. At Keith's grave. His uncle Keith's grave. Lucas still couldn't believe it. His mother stood right next to him. Holding on to his hand for dear life. He was afraid if he let her hand go, Lucas might loose her too. Brooke Davis, his girlfriend, was also holding on to his hand. She stood next to him. Trying to comfort Lucas. But Lucas didn't need it. He didn't need comforting. What he needed was to wake up from this nightmare.

But deep down he knew this was no nightmare. He just wish it was. Lucas looked up and saw the back of his best friend Peyton. She was walking away from the funeral. She disappeared behind the maple trees, but Lucas knew where she was going. She was walking to own her mother's grave. Lucas wanted to follow her, but he had to also be there for Keith.

Even though Keith would no longer be there for Lucas.

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"Hi Mom" Peyton said as she approached her mother's grave. Peyton sat down in front of it, pretending that her mother was there instead of the tombstone. All the pretending in the world couldn't bring her mother back, Peyton knew that. But still she pretended. Not only did she loose one mother, she lost another this year. Peyton sat there just twiddling her thumbs, thinking about all the things that were bugging her.

"Is it me?" she asked out loud, as if someone was actually listening.

"Am I the reason people always leave? Did I do something wrong in a past life?" she tried to laugh it off but it still hurt. She felt the familiar tears about to come out of her eyes but she quickly wiped them away. She couldn't cry, at least not in the open.

"You know Mom, all I want is someone to stick around. Anyone. Just somebody who will promise me that they'll always be there. Someone to promise me that they'll never leave." she choked out the last word because she started crying.

"I promise." said a familiar shaky voice. Peyton didn't need to look up, she knew who it was. Peyton felt a thump next to her, she looked to her right to see her best friend, Lucas Scott.

Lucas saw Peyton in a way no one else could. They had grown closer during last summer, so close that he nearly lived at Peyton's house. Him and Peyton had a history together, one that would always be there.

Always.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or are we going to play a guessing game?" Lucas asked. Peyton gave a small smile. Lucas threw an arm around her, but she quickly slipped from underneath it.

"You know I love you Luke, but I've chosen loneliness" she said looking away.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been there for you like I should've, but with all this-" but Peyton interrupted.

"Lucas, you don't need to explain. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." she still didn't look at him.

"Hey, I know that. That's why I admire you" Lucas said. Peyton's head shot up.

"Admire me?"

"Yeah," Lucas looked her dead in the eyes " Peyton, I just lost the most important man I know and I barley can take it. But you lost your mom. Both of them! And yet, you still make it through the day."

"Lucas, I barley make it through the morning, let alone the day."

"But you make it. And that's why I admire you"

Peyton smiled. A real smile. She hadn't smiled in days. Both of them got up and Lucas turned and started to walk away. But Peyton reached out and grabbed his hand. Lucas turned around and found Peyton's face only centimeters away from his. The last time Peyton was this close to Lucas she was shot in the leg and about to kiss him. Instead of a kiss on the lips, like Lucas expected, Peyton reached up on to her tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"What was that for?" Lucas asked her. She only smiled again and shrugged.

"That was for being my hero" and she walked away.


End file.
